Framing device for moving-picture machines.



A. D. BRIXEY.

FRAMING DEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19,1915.

Patmed Dee. 19,1916.

oIIo3 AUSTIN D. BRIXEY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specication of Letters Patent.

FRAMING: DEVICE FOR MOVING-PICTURE MACHIES.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916@ Application led February 19, 1915. Serial N o. 9,243.

TaaZZ whom z'z may concern.'

Be it known that I, AUSTIN D. BRIXEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in ,the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Framing Devices for Moving-Picture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means' for eff" fecting adjustments whereby the pictures on a moving picture film are brought into proper registry with a-window in a moving picture machine.

In moving picture machines, as is well known, the picture film is passed across the window of the projector, through which the projecting light passes. The. sucessive pictures on the film are brought 'in front of the window with suitable rapidity and the film is moved intermittently, permitting a dwell of each picture in front of the window for a short interval. The film is ordinarily driven by means of a sprocket wheel, the film being held fromv slipping by reason of the sprocket teeth entering in holes in the margin of the film.

In order to secure the .best results each picture as it comes into the line of projection should register accurately with the -window. In threading in the film, it may provide-means whereby relative adjustments of the film and window may be secured with any degree of nicety while the machine is runnings or at other times. It is a further object ofthe invention t 4provide simpleand readily operable means for the purpose indicated.

^ Other and ancillary objects of the ,invention will appear hereinafter.` y

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, Figure 1. is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the-inventionv with so much of a moving picture machine as is necessary to show its application thereto: Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus shown 1n Fig. 1, viewed as indicated by the arrow a.' Fig. 3 is a view of a detail, being a top plan view of certain of the parts of Fig. l: and Fig. l is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 1 -1 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the front plate of a moving picture machine, having a window 2. Across this plate is drawn the picture film 3 having succeeding pictures represented by the squares 4 5-6, etc., and also having perforations 7 at its edges adapted to engage with the sprocket wheel 8 by which it is .moved along. The film is held to the sprocket wheel by a pair of grooved rollers 9. From'thisvsprocket 8 the film passes by a loop t0 a steady feed sprocket 10, being held thereto by a pair of grooved rollers 11.

The driving sprocket 8 is driven intermittently sothat each picture is quickly moved forward a step infront of the window where it dwells for a short intervaly after which it is quickly drawn out lof the field of projection, the same movement of the film introducing the suceeding picture into the line of projection.

The power for driving the sprocket wheels is obtained from a shaft 12 which may be driven from any suitable force of power., This shaft carries the gear 13 which on the one hand engages with the gear 14, driving the sprocket 10 and on the other hand engaging the gear -15 which drives the sprocket 8. A Geneva motion is inserted in the connetion 'between the gear 15 and the sprocket 8 to produe the intermittent motion, and also inserted in this connection is the means for effecting adjustments of the film with relation to the window of the machine. The Geneva motion comprises a disk 16 having an annular flange 17 with an opening 18, and a pin 19. The disk 16 is fixed upon the shaft 20 of the gear 15. The other element of the Geneva motion is a star wheel 21 having radial slots 22 in its pointsn ,Between the points the periphery `of the wheel in the form of arcs 23 which form a running fitwith the outside of the ange 17. The star wheel is fixed to theshaft 2liQ One end of the shaft 24 is journaled inl a. sleeve 25 which also receives the end of the shaft 26 of the sprocket 8. The shafts 24 and 26 are thus noncontinuous and maybe turned independently of each other. Be-

' 34 by means of which the Sleeve 25 may ,be

turned about the axis of the shafts 24 and l 26, and the gears 3l and 32 move about that being driven in a'direction as axis'in one direction or the other as desired. The bar y33, together with the sleeve 25 and trunnions 29v and 30, may be secured ,in any desired position by mea-ns of a cross head 35 'through which the bar 33 passes and froml which a screw 36 extends through a slot 37 in the stationary upright plate 38. rllhe bar being at some distance from the plate, 'in order to firmly hold the bar a sleeve or block, through which the screw passes, is placed to abut against lthe cross head and plate. 0n the opposite side of the plate from the cross head is a lever nut 39 which may be tightened to clamp the cross head, sleeve and plate together 'and hold the bar 33 stationary.

lf now 'the lm is threaded into the machine in the usual way and the parts are in position as shown, shaft 12 driving the apparatus, it will -be observed that the star wheel 21 is held against movement by reason of one of the arcs 23 engaging with the outer periphery of the ange 17. The gear 13 indicated by the arrow a; the disk 16 will be driven in the direction as 'indicated by its arrow, the star wheel remaining stationaryand the film remaining stationary/,until the pin 19 enters within one of the slots 12 of the star wheel. The point of the star wheel will then be carrired along with the pin, the opening 18 in the Hangepermitting the passage of the star point. When the pin 19 leaves the slot the star wheel will again be locked in position until the pin 19 enters the next slot to move the star wheel along one more step. During the movement of the star wheel, as described, the gear 26 will be turned with it in the directionas indicated by the arrow I). The gear 27 will drive the gear 28 through the gears 31 and 32 which rotate on their trunnions, being locked in position by means as before described. The gear 28 and its connecting shaft 26 will be rotated as indicated by 1ts arrow c and the sprocket 8 on that shaft willfbe rotated therewithin the direction as indicated by the arrow @L It now appears that the sprocket 8 will move during the movement ofy the star wheel. During the period of dwell the picture supposed to be in the line of projection should may be. This alters the angular relation of the shafts 24 and 26 and of the star wheel 21v and sprocket 8. This will result in advancing or retarding the film pictures with relation to the window as thecase may be,

and the apparatus may be adjusted so that at the time of dwell of the intermittent motion the picture will be accurately framed in the Window This adjustment may be accomplished upon the threading in of the film or at any time while thefilm is running or while it is standing still. It not only provides a means for properly adjusting the vfilm and driving means at thestart, but if there is imperfect formation of the film, or

unequal wearing of the sprocket perforations the film, orL for other reasons the picture film gets out of adjustment as it runs, adjustment may be accomplished without stopping the operation of the machine.

j The film loop between the sprockets 8 and 10 provides slack' which permits the film across the front of the machine to be moved backwardly without binding anda similar loop on the other side of the cWindow provides slack permitting the'advancement of -the film.. \f

While the invention has been 'illustrated in what is considered its best application, it

may have Vother embodiments without departing from its spirit. It is not therefore limited to the structures shown inthe drawings. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I 1. ln a moving picture machine, the combination with4 a -ilm sprocket', of driving means therefor and an adjustable connection between said driving meansand said sprocket comprising a ,pair of beveled gears respectively fixed to a` pair of rotatableshafts and `a rotatably mounted gear connecting. said beveled gearsand adjustable about their axis,` the axis of said rotatably mounted gear being normally stationary.

2. In a moving picture machine, the combination with a film driving sprocket of a beveled Igear driving said sprocket, intermittent driving means, a second beveledA beilg normaliy stationary, coaxial with said sha ts and adjustable about said shafts, and means for holding said carrier stationary.

4. In a moving picture machine, the combination with a film sprocket, of driving means therefor and an adjustable conneotion between said driving means and sprocket comprising driving and driven shafts in axial alinement, bevel gears fixed to said shafts respectively, a sleeve between said gears receiving the ends of said shafts, trunnions extending from said sleeve, bevel gears rotatably mounted on said trunnions and meshing with the aforesaid bevel gears,

means for adjusting said sleeve about its la axis, and means for holding it in adjusted stationary position.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 15th day of February'A. D. 1915. v

AUSTIN D. BRIXEY.

Witnesses:

K. G. LEARD,Y

D. LEONARD. 

